An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An → absorption band of molecular origin
characterizing the spectra of → late-type stars (G0 and later, e.g. → S star). → Cyanogen absorption is an important → luminosity criterion for → low-mass stars, and is more pronounced in → giant stars than in → dwarf stars of the same → spectral type.

See also: → cyanogen; → band.